The State of the World
by Komamura's son
Summary: Even though we start this story at the end, it is only the start for something larger. Four souls, fated to fight alongside side each other to live another day in their new life. But their style of defending themselves is primitive compared to the modern day world. The four learn to modernize themselves as a more efficient way of ensuring their survival. Mild gore and swearing.
1. Chapter 1: The Awakening

**Don't ask how this story idea came to be, it just happened. So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Left 4 Dead and Fire Emblem.**

* * *

_'Did I die...?' _The mercenary asked himself, faint memories blurring through his vision, attempting to put a reason as to why he was feeling this lifeless floating. His whole body felt numb to any feeling, aside from a slight drifting, but even though his body felt nothing from around him, he could still feel the warmth in his heart and it's rhythmic beating. Though it was dead silent, wherever he was, it was not peaceful. The silence put an annoyed feeling in him, hating how nothing he did at the moment would even cause an alert or trigger for anything. He furrowed his brow and huffed out a grunt.

"If this is the afterlife, I would defy the Gods just to end it." His claim was coming from an irritated soul, he was still concerned about what had happened and as to why it happened. Though the mixtures of colors that presented itself as his last moments wasn't really making things anymore apparent.

Oddly enough in this strange suspension in such a strange dream like state, a faint feeling in the back of his mind told him he wasn't alone in this world. And solitude was indeed not the right word for this moment. Though he could not sense or see the others, he wasn't alone, two were also questioning how it was possible that they got here and the purpose of being here.

Seeing as none of the three knew of the others' presence, they could not call for each other and piece some answer together with the little messes of their memories. But all three shared a purpose, an intertwined fate, and a goal. That which they sought to protect with their lives, has been protected and thus their jobs fulfilled, but not quite over.

* * *

After feeling more heat beat down on their faces, and even a light that was poorly shielded by their eyelids, the three opened their tired eyes to be greeted with the clear blue sky before them. Fiery red, loyal green, and strong gray eyes stared stagnant at the blue above. Though each had the nagging feeling that they should get up and investigate where it is that they are, the peaceful feeling of laying sprawled on their backs and gazing at the heavens above was relaxing.

The first to get up and off the ground was that of the fiery eyed mercenary, though his rising alerted the other two and each quickly jumped to their feet and looked at each other, hands reaching for their weapons at the unfamiliar faces.

A mercenary with red eyes, and dragonfire hair to match, his hand already grasping the hilt of his blade by his side, he appeared to be the oldest out of all of them though the youthful look suggested only by a few years.

An archer whose green hair and eyes reminded the mercenary of another archer he knew off, but the determined look on his face suggested another person. His bow already drawn, but at the range he was now, the weapon would surely miss.

The last of the trio, was a journeyman, hatchet raised up and ready to chop with, his serious face suggested that he was tough with a fighting spirit.

"Who are you?" All three asked in unison, eyes shifting across each other, scanning for any hostile signs to allow a need to attack.

"My name is Wolt." The archer spoke first, having honor and dignity.

"Raven." The mercenary coldly replied, leaving only the journeyman to respond.

"The name's Ross." After introductions were done and over, each lowered their weapons, but still remained on guard, despite not being in an unknown location and waking up next to strangers, they were the only people around so far, so it was best to rely on each other than to kill each other off at the first moment.

"Do you mind explaining to me why we're here?" Raven asked, crossing his arms and observing the area, it looked to be a field, but out in the distance were some structures that he was not familiar with.

"I... I have no idea..." Wolt responded, having took a look around as well.

"We might want to find a village and grab a map or ask where we are... But that's my plan, I don't know about you guys." Ross announced, turning around to face the wind that blew through his black hair.

Although the red haired man could care less about the his forced upon companions, he had the faintest inkling that he knew Wolt.

"I'm fine with traveling with you." The green haired boy smiled and took position next to the young journeyman. Again, Raven wanted nothing to do with the two boys, but he could not leave both alone in this place, especially when he himself had no idea of what territory they were in.

"It's not like I have any other choice..." Still a bit annoyed with it, the red haired man made the decision on his own terms, meaning he had dug his own grave. As they began the hike through the field, just as the older mercenary predicted, conversation would break out.

"So since we're sticking together, might as well learn about each other." Ross of course was the one to bring it up. The mercenary remained silent, arms still crossed and eyes closed firmly. Wolt on the other hand was glad to share his past and experiences.

"I am merely a servant to serve under Marquess Pherae's son, Master Roy, who is also my Milk-brother and close friend." Raven opened his eyes and stared at the young archer. He knew Marquess Pherae, he personally fought alongside Eliwood, but he had never heard of him having a son being born.

"That cannot be, Eliwood has yet to have a son." The green eyed boy stared up at the red haired man.

"It is true, my mother, Rebecca nursed Master Roy along with her own child, me." Upon hearing his ally's name, the mercenary was finally able to make the connection. But the young journeyman was lost, he had never heard of any of these names or royalty.

"You're Rebecca's son...? But... She was still young when I saw her last." The two kept eye contact as they stopped in their tracks, Ross, not wanting to leave them behind, watched as the two stared each other down.

"Raven... Now that I think of it, my mother told me a story of when she was younger and helped stopped the Dragon's Gate from opening, along side Lilina's parents, Lyndis and Marquess Ostia. I think among the group, she mentioned your name." Upon mention of Ostia, the mercenary grumbled, memories of the ruined childhood and separation from his sister haunting him, Ostia's corruption leading to the destruction of his beloved Cornwell family.

But upon thinking of his sister, voices echoed in his head. _'Raymond!' _

"... Priscilla...?" Her scream reverberated in his mind, he had no recollection of her concerned voice ever reaching that level of distress and grief. Perhaps it had something to do with why he was here with the supposed son of his ally? "So what about you?" Raven shook off the feeling after realizing that it would not return anytime soon, he directed his questioned at the black haired boy, who was the first to suggest speaking of their pasts in the first place.

"Not until you elaborate on yours, Raven." The mercenary closed off his red eyes from the light of the world and crossed his arms, letting another grumble escape his throat.

"That is of no importance right now, I am a mercenary, and that is all you will get to know for the time being." The journeyman was reluctant to let the man win, but he gave in. Wolt however was able to piece a few details having heard about the man before from his mother. So far this man fit most of the descriptions his mother had shared over stories, and one detail remained unchanged that should not have been the same. _'He was very handsome for his young age, but always so cold and quiet.' _If that was true, how in the world had he retained his youth?

"Fine, I'll let it slip, but now it's my turn. My father was a great military leader, he's taught me everything I know about the battlefield and I'm determined to surpass him in strength." Ross held his smile firmly, thinking that this small little adventure would help in his training. But even so, training won't help him surpass his father if he can't return home.

"Enough with the formalities, we need to find civilization, the sun is only going to stay up for so long." Raven reminded the young ones. nodding in agreement, the three continued on. Questions still left unanswered and only increasing in number.

After crossing miles of endless fields of grass, and the sun quickly looming over the horizon and painting the sky a bright orange and a vibrant purple at the opposite end, the small group managed to find a structure that appeared to look strange to them.

"What in the world is this thing?" The green haired archer approached the structure. "It looks like the strangest road I've ever seen." The three caught up and hoped the small fence to stand atop the highway road.

"Whatever it is, it is our only lead to a town, it's best we follow it." The red haired mercenary advised, already heading in the direction of the setting sun.

"Guess we got no choice." Ross sighed and ran up to catch up to the mercenary. Wolt stood in solemn silence, staring at the horizon lit by starlight. Hearing in the distance a faint humming that seemed to get louder as the time past.

"Raven, Ross, something is coming." The archer announced, the red haired man turned on his heel and pulled out his blade.

"Put your sword away, if it's friendly, we don't want to scare it away." The black haired boy reasoned with the older man. Though, he reluctantly sheathed his weapon, but kept his hand gripping the hilt, as to be ready for an attack.

Eventually the humming became a roaring noise, and a bright light came to their attention. The source of the light getting brighter as it approached them. The light nearly blinding all of them, and the noise close to deafening their ears as it stopped before them. The roaring stopped, however the light continued to blind them. A person emerged from the side of the light.

"What the hell are yew guys doin' out in the middle of the Highway?" The man asked, his accent being unfamiliar to all three. The light's intensity dimmed and the three could make out a strange metal object, a vehicle seeing as it managed to travel to them from the other end of the road at such a fast pace. The man that asked the question appearing to be young, but around the same age range as Raven. A hat hiding most of his dirty blonde curls from them, blue eyes full of concern looking at them.

"Do you know of the closest village from here?" The dragonfire haired man asked. Approaching the man. Wolt and Ross followed closely, wanting to greet the local man as well.

"Village... well, Savannah is not far from 'ere. If ya want, I can drive ya there, sure does look like yew can use the ride." Before making the decision, the red haired man looked to the young boys to have them nod in agreement. He also took note that he had never heard of a place named Savannah.

"We'll take you up on that offer, thank you, sir." The man smiled and opened the doors to his vehicle.

"Always welcomed to help some people, an' no need ta call me sir, Ellis is fine, or just El, by the way, why are yall carrying weapons, and dressed funny?" After taking their seats, Raven taking passenger leaving Ross and Wolt with the backseats, the engine roared to life and startled the occupants.

"I can see we are no longer in our respected worlds. All three of us had awoken out in the fields away from our rightful places." Raven explained. It was a possibility that he was waiting to have confirmation on. Ellis, by sharing small information, allowed to connect the dots and confirm his suspicion.

"No way man, I already know someone like that, he actually works with my and mah buddies. I'm gonna take you ta see him right away." Ellis pushed his foot harder on the accelerator, speeding down the highway. Wolt felt the pressure of the speed pushing back on him, deeper into the seat. Raven remained stoic, even as Ellis pulled a sharp turn, drifting slightly. Ross on the other hand was enjoying the adrenaline filling his veins from the excitement. Though through the blurring images, the three were still able to notice the town's differences from what they were used to. House structures, shops, and the use of roads similar to the highway they were at.

Eventually the thrill ride ended and the archer could not be anymore relieved to have his feet on solid, stagnant ground. The black haired boy nearly jumping back into the vehicle and ready to beg for another ride. The mercenary however was more interested in meeting Ellis' coworker to bring more light to the situation.

"C'mon, he should be still workin' in the garage." The blonde lifted up shutters to reveal another vehicle, legs could be seen underneath it with the periodic clinking of metal.

"Yo Ike, I got some fellas ya need to talk to, I'll finish up your work to speak with 'em." The man from underneath the car slid down, his hair being a blue that draped a bit below his eyebrows and begin to spike upwards. His eyes sharing a similar shade as his hair. Grease matted parts of his face at the moment. Upon laying eyes on the soldiers, he was lost for words.

"Thanks Ellis, I got a lot to explain to them." Rising from his position on the ground, the blue haired man stood, tall as Raven and equal in age appearance. He removed a rag from his back pocket and wiped his face with. Ike stared into the mercenary's eyes and extended his hand to greet.

"As Ellis probably told you, my name is Ike, I'm also not from this world." The red haired man still stared at the blue haired man, studying him. Before he could react, Ross took the handshake into his own hand.

"Don't mind him yet, he seems to always be grumpy, but I'm Ross, that's Wolt, and this glaring guy is Raven." Having had the situation out of his control, Raven huffed and crossed his arms. The green haired archer smiled and waved from his spot.

"Hmm, I'll explain as much as I know on how I got here, but I need to clean up, feel free to come inside into the living room and wait while I return." The bluenette lead the three to said room, but taking a solo stroll up stairs and having the others wait on him.

"At least we know someone can explain what's happened to us." The green haired boy looked at the bright side of the situation, and from the people they met in this world, they all seemed friendly.

"Looks can deceive." The mercenary sighed, his comment more or less applied to the fact that they should not assume the whole population in the world is great when they have only met two people, one of which didn't even belong to this world much like them.

"Come on, just give this place a chance." The journeyman tried to reach through the man's cold heart. Raven remained silent, which soon spread to everyone and left them studying the room's design as well as the strange devices around. The time flew by too slowly to their tastes, they were wondering if Ike even remembered they were waiting on him, but footsteps going down the steps brought relief to their souls.

The blue haired man was using a towel to dry off his hair, his chest muscles were exposed, but he still wore his pants, but after getting his hair to be less damp, the man draped the towel over his shoulders and took a seat on the couch and stared at all three standing.

"No need to stand around, take a seat, you'll need to for what I'm about to explain." Wolt and Ross easily agreed to the seating and occupied the chairs. However, Raven leaned against the wall, once again crossing his arms.

"Now that you're all comfortable, if what happened to me is the same way you three ended up here, then you might want to brace yourself for this." Wolt, Ross, and even Raven were a bit tense from the sudden suspense Ike had set up. "Believe it or not... But I have died, and you three probably have too."

* * *

**Hmm, ending with a cliffhanger for the first chapter... I dunno. I hope this has peaked your interests, I realize this is the first Fire Emblem and Left 4 Dead crossover, so I'm hoping you guys like what I have set up so far. Anyways, I hoped you enjoyed this.**


	2. Chapter 2: Death's Renewal?

**Alright, time to entertain the very few people reading this story. Honestly, I'm writing this because I love Fire Emblem and just wanted to write something from it instead of my normal routine. But I'm still putting a lot of thought into this story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Raven, Wolt, Ross, Ike, or Ellis and his buddies... Wait, scratch that on Ellis' buddies, had to create my own images of them so I do own them.**

* * *

A full minute of unbearable silence went by after Ike had revealed to them what had happened.

"How is it possible, you look completely healthy and real, there's no way you died at all." Ross stared at him, finding no scars on the muscled body that he was leaving exposed.

"That's because I haven't died in this world. The way I see it, it's like a reincarnation or rebirth." The blue haired man reclined and rested his feet on a coffee table. "I'll ask you guys, while knowing the answer, can you remember your final moments back home?"

The black haired journeyman scratched the back of his head, suddenly realizing that the memory was blank. Wolt stayed silent, processing the information and changing expressions to that of a sad yet calm facial expression. Raven, having already known that the memory was not coming to mind, but he had an small piece of audio to associate it with. That scream of his sister was obviously connected to all of this.

"Don't worry, all memories are never truly gone, just misplaced. They'll come back eventually, like mine did." The sentence sparked more intrigue in the redheaded mercenary. If he was able to get the voice of Priscilla in his mind that means his memory of that moment was coming back.

"How long did it take you to fully remember it?" He asked, wishing to add more light to the situation.

"Took me two full months after waking up. Just like you guys, I woke up in the middle of nowhere, and luckily ran into Ellis. He's been letting me stay here and work for him and his friends ever since then." Ike shared, though from what he said, and based on how lax he was in this world, it occurred to the three that he had been here for way longer.

"I know you said it took two months to remember, but how long have you've been here altogether?" Wolt asked, brushing some stray bangs away from his eyes. The blue haired man closed his eyes and sighed.

"A year and a half. I gotta say, this world may seem great with it's advance technology. But it's far from paradise. The citizens are more corrupt than you think, hardly any people are kind to each other. Ellis is one of the few that are nice." Though they already knew that the human heart could be corrupted, they never had once thought it would be put on a high scale like this. "Crimes are committed everyday, murder is a natural thing, I've noticed that the more money and power a man has, the more twisted his morals are."

This was no surprise to Raven. Having seen what could happen with corruption, made as much sense that people in this world wasn't free from it's grasp either.

"So what do we do now?" Ross stared at the blue haired man, who seemed to be close to taking a nap in his relaxed position.

"Best thing to do is to get used to life in this world. You need a job to make money and keep a home, if not you'll end up on the streets as a beggar. Ellis might be willing to hire you three, though he's going to have to teach you a lot about cars first and such." Ike stood up from the couch and made his way back upstairs, on his way up the stairs the three noticed a tattoo on his back. The words "No Sympathy" written along with wings. "Well, first things first, might as well prepare you with what this world is like, it may seem strange at first, but you all will adapt, Ross was it? Can you grab that remote on right next to you and press the button that says Power?" He stated on his way down, pulling a black t-shirt over his head.

The journeyman was a bit confused at the request and wanted to cover it up by grabbing the closest thing to him. "This thing?"

"Yes, no press the button that says Power." After taking a moment to look at the remote, the black haired boy could see labels over various colorful buttons. Though he could read, he was astonished by all the options that he couldn't find the needed Power. Eventually, the mercenary lost his patience and ripped the remote from Ross' hands and immediately found the Power button to be at the top center of the device. Upon pressing it, the man noticed people speaking, including a window revealing the speaking voices.

"Before you start tapping the TV, those men are not actually in it, it's being broadcasted from a separate location." Ike assured the three. Ross stared in boredom at the Television, finding these old men speaking to them to be an utter pain. Wolt was trying to make sense of the magic behind the TV's ability to show these images, while Raven was the only one to actually listen to what they were talking about.

"The Green Flu seems to be taking the entire country by storm, in less than three days, it has been confirmed that half the continent has thousands already infected, though it seems nothing more than a sickness, people are showing signs of strange tumors appearing on their faces, large muscle growths, sensitivity to light, extreme acid reflex as well as indigestion, dementia, mood swings, and even those have claimed to have lost a limb and feel completely fine aside from their Flu. But scientists continue to assure us, it is nothing more than a sickness."

"What a bunch of Bull, they clearly are hiding the truth from us." Raven pointed out to the others.

"It's a normal thing in this world, the government loves to keep it's citizens oblivious to the real problems." The blue haired man explained to the others. The sad news was starting to get to the young archer, and he wondered if there was anything else they could hear about.

"Um, Ike, if it's not too much trouble, may we change the subject and what we're watching?" The man nodded and thought for a moment.

"You're an archer right?" The green haired boy replied with an indication to his bow. "I need to show you something then."

The modernized man began flipping through channels and brought the constant scene changes to a stop when he reached a certain channel. The program that was being shown at the moment was a demonstration of an assortment of Rifles and Snipers. "People in this world have long shed using blades, bows, axes, and lances. They have created something called a Firearm, or a Gun for short. It's a heavy metal object that can range from fitting in one hand to having to need to be rested on your shoulder and supported by something. It fires a small piece of metal, or a bullet, over long distances and proves to be destructive when put in the hands of an expert."

The archer's green eyes widened at the trick shots used to show off the weapon's power and the marksman's skill. It was as if he wanted to learn how to use a bow again. He wanted to replicate those shots and even make up his own impossible shots, and with already developing his senses to use the Bow effectively, all he would have to do is learn the mechanics of a gun and that future was set.

"No fair, Wolt gets to watch something that he likes, what about me?" Ross crossed his arms and pouted.

"I'm not exactly sure about what you would love to see-" Before the blue haired man could continue, he was interrupted by one of his coworkers and roommates.

"Ey Ike, who ya talkin' tew?" Said man held his head as a redheaded man walked in, his eyes being a deep blue and scars decorating his face. He looked at all the three strangers and held a goofy grin. "Judgin' by the green hair, I'm guessin' that y'all are the guys El has been goin' on 'bout."

"Um... Hey..." Ross directed his attention to the man. He smiled as he suspected the scars meant that he was a fighter, another person that could train him.

"Hey there, mah name's Keith, nice ta meet ya." He gave an even wider smile as he reached to shake the other's hand.

"Name's Ross, I like your scars, where'd you get them?" Before the man could begin a long winded tale of utter stupidity in the form of a miraculous near death experience, the blue haired man cut in.

"Hey, why don't you take Ross to go out Racing and then you can tell him your stories?" The redhead grinned widely before nodding and taking the young man with him, leaving behind a relief filled sigh from Ike. "Tragedy avoided..."

Though Raven stared at the Television and back to the young green haired archer giving the screen his undivided attention. He began to notice that the two boys were quickly growing fond of this new world, already finding things of interest, and he had yet to find something himself. Though he wasn't surprised, hardly anything could catch his interest for long.

"Pay no attention to me guys, I want nothing to do with this." A raven haired man stated as he made his way to the kitchen to retrieve a beverage and left as quick as he came.

"Another 'friend' of yours?" Raven asked, skeptical from the man's rudeness.

"Don't mind Dave, he tries to avoid getting caught in anything that me, Keith, and Ellis do. He's just cautious, that's all."

_'Hmmm, seems as though we had a lot in common.' _The fiery haired man thought to himself and scoffed.

* * *

"Ok now, what yer gonna have ta do is to press down on the accelerator down there with yer right foot to get her to speed up, and if you want to slow down you wann-" Just as Keith was explaining the young black haired boy how to drive, Ross slammed his foot on the accelerator to send the vehicle darting down the street in minutes. Though he probably should have been scared from the fact that a possibly underage and inexperience driver was at the wheel, the rush he was getting from the speed was exhilarating.

"This is awesome!" Ross cheered as a turn came, pulling on the E-Brake and spinning the wheel, the car drifted perfectly and safely into the right lane and continued it's speed, the wheels leaving their mark on the ground. The redheaded man had no idea how much this kid was a natural driver, couldn't even be considered a rookie on the account that he pulled off a drift from not even three minutes of driving.

"Hoo-Shit Boy, that was the best driving I've seen in years, how the Hell did you learn all that?!" The scarred covered man asked, still being forced in the back of his seat from the force. The Journeyman shrugged the question off and replied.

"It just feels natural, I don't even know what half of these buttons do, but what ever it is I'm doing, it's working!" He yelled out as he drifted another turn and even pulled a quick U-turn to head back.

Eyeing the parking, the redhead grinned and issued a challenge. "Why don'tcha try parkin' right between those two cars without hitting anythin'?"

"Challenge accepted!" Ross spun the wheel and managed to wedged the car in the tight spot with expertise that only a skilled driver could pull off as a miracle. "How'd I do?" The black haired boy smiled widely, knowing it was an outstanding performance, he just wanted to hear the praise from him.

"Kid... Yew are undeniably the best underage driver in the world..." He uttered giving the young man and congratulatory hug while petting his head in a rough manner that showed he was proud. If the two haven't just met that day, others would've thought they were brothers sharing a moment.

The two emerged the car and kept recounting the experience as if it happened over a year ago, yet Ross and Keith still went on about it.

* * *

Wolt was still watching TV when the two walked back in. His eyes were paying attention to how the Marksman operated the guns, making notes of every click, pull, and triggers as well as the best positions to hold each different weapon. The archer memorized each of the actions, wishing that he could try it on a real gun for himself.

"You really like guns now, don't you?" The blue haired man added in, finally breaking Wolt's gaze from the TV.

"Yeah, it's amazing, I never wanted to try something like this since I watched my Mom and Dad use a bow." The green haired boy smiled widely as he looked over at Ike. Taking a moment to notice that the mercenary was dosing off.

"Maybe we can change the channel to something that Raven might like." Already taking the idea into action, the blue haired man tossed the remote to said Mercenary. The fiery redhead caught the device and began to flip through the channels, stopping for five seconds to gauge what was happening in the network. Several minutes had passed and Raven had given up searching, stopping it on a movie channel, which Ike was mortified to see.

"Oh God, not Twilight, please change it." Whatever this movie was, it upset the blue haired man, which Raven complied to his command and did not want to see what torture would ensue from watching it. However, after various channel surfing, the redheaded mercenary gave up and tossed the remote back at Ike.

"It's no use, nothing in this world has gotten my attention." He crossed his arms and sighed, soon hearing a door open and shut along with the familiar laughter of the Journeyman. Although a scurrying noise caught his attention, it sounded as if claws were scraping on the floor and dashing over into the room. Soon enough, a large dog leaped at the Mercenary and began licking at his face, hind legs still on the ground, front paws placed directly on his shoulders. Although he was startled by the size of the dog, he couldn't help but find it's affection a bit relieving. Animals always seemed to warm up to him, so this wasn't a rare occurrence.

"Down girl, get off our guest." The blue haired man came to Raven's rescue, pulling the dog off of him. Now that he wasn't be tongue lashed, the red eyed man could see the details of the dog, it's sandy colored fur appearing well groomed. Soft green eyes stared at him, appearing almost human with a sparkle. "Sorry about her, she's usually relaxed."

"It's fine, animals do that to me all the time. If it's not much trouble, what is her name?" Wolt watched in amazement as the cold hearted Mercenary kneeled down to pet the animal in a caring way.

"Her name is Ilia, she's a Border Collie and Husky mix." Raven continued his petting and found that this dog was very fond of him, despite being a complete stranger to her. As this went on, the scarred man and black haired boy walked into the room, both still grinning from their driving session.

"Whoo boy, Ike, this kid can really drive! Didn't even have ta explain a single thing to him an he was already pullin' perfect drifts and parallel parkin' without a single scratch!" The blue haired man smiled for a moment, thinking that he could tell it went well based from the fact that they were still in one piece.

"That's great." Wolt looked over at the two and noticed how confident Ross was about himself. He would probably give off the same feel if he got to use a gun for the first time.

"It's getting late, we should all got to sleep... Wolt, I'll let you have my bed tonight, I'll sleep on the floor." Ike lead the boy upstairs to his own room, though the archer protested to it, the blue haired man insisted on it. Through some sort of telepathy, Keith and Ross shared a look and ran up the stairs, mentally agreeing to share his room for the night. The mercenary hoped that they would actually sleep and not stay up conversing. They would possibly wake the whole house with their laughter.

After a second thought, the fiery red haired man decided that the sofa would be his bed tonight, with Ilia as his company. After sprawling his body on the couch, boots kicked off his feet and heels now resting on the arm rest. The Mercenary sighed with a hint of content, soon feeling that the large dog had leaped up on the couch and positioned herself next to him. A faint smile pulled at the corner of his lips and enjoyed the bit of warmth from the Border Collie mix. _'First day in another world, things don't seem that bleak... Yet.'_

His eyelids shut and sleep soon called for him. The gentle rise and lower of his chest becoming rhythmic, indicating that he had fallen asleep. His muscles and mind getting the rest they deserved and soon preparing for the next time he wakes.

* * *

**I think I'm doing well in modernizing them. But their skills have yet to be put to the test. And that will hopefully come next chapter. Anyways, hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3: Challenges

**I like writing this story. Despite not getting attention, I still love putting thought into this one story, hell I even work to make sure each chapter is at least 3000 words.**

**Disclaimer: I'm having too much fun writing to care about owning anything.**

* * *

"Ike, are you still awake?" Wolt whispered, turning his head to the side to find that the blue haired man sat up and stared at him.

"Yeah, can't sleep?" The archer chuckled.

"Hard to sleep when I can hear Ross in the other room." It was the young man's turn to chuckle, he knew from the moment that Keith and the boy started talking, that there was no hope for a good night rest. Though in the silence of Ike's room, minus the ambient laughing in the background, he could hear a faint grumble.

"That your stomach barking at me?" The blue haired man asked, Wolt blushed and soon held his stomach and sitting upright.

"Y-Yeah..." He felt embarrassed about it, though it was justified since he hadn't had anything to eat since waking up in this world, Hell, he wasn't even sure how long it had been since he had eaten _before _coming to this world. "I would ask for something to eat, but I don't want to wake Raven up."

"No problem, you are very lucky I keep snacks in here." Switching on a lampshade, the young boy watched as Ike fumbled around a dresser and pulled out a plastic bag, soon tossing it to the archer. "It's called Beef Jerky, it's basically smoked dried meat. Just tear open the bag and dig in."

The green haired boy complied and tore open the bag, the scent of the meat filling his nostrils and soon causing his mouth to fill with saliva. The young boy soon took a piece of jerky and chewing on it. The taste being literally nothing like he had ever eaten before.

"This is so good!" He exclaimed, soon scarfing down a few more pieces before realizing that they belonged to the blue haired man. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even ask if you wanted some."

Ike only laughed and soon pulled out another bag of jerky from the dresser. "It's fine, I got plenty stashed away." Wolt felt relief washed over him and soon the boy was fishing through the bag trying to get more pieces of meat.

"Hey, what's this?" The boy asked, pulling out a the freshness packet.

"Oh, don't eat that, it's supposed to keep the jerky fresh."

The green haired boy soon frowned when a thought crossed his mind. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but it tastes better than my mother's cooking..." Wolt appeared as if he was going to cry, Ike soon taking concern and even knowing what had upset him.

"You miss her already, don't you?" The young boy nodded, the terror dawned on him that he would never be able to see any of his old friends and family back in Elibe. "I had that same despair fall over me, don't worry about them... Besides, you have new family now." The blue haired man put a hand on the archer's shoulder and got him to stare down at him. "Me, Raven, Ross, Ellis, Keith, Hell even Dave and Ilia. We'll take care of you, you don't have to feel alone in this world when you got friends. When you have no family left, friends become your family."

The young archer smiled at the blue haired man. His words hitting in the right place and sticking.

"Thanks Ike, um... Can I call you Onichan? I always wanted a brother, and from how kind you treat me, added with what you just said, I see you as my older brother."

"Sure thing, Wolt."

* * *

Ross grinned in anticipation as he gripped Keith's hand, grey eyes staring deep into blue, both having a fire burning in their irises as they reassured their grips and took in deep breaths. After a nod, the two put in strain to their facial features, the auburn haired man grumbling as the younger boy's grin became a bit cocky. Soon, Ross' lips curled up further to reveal his teeth as he finally brought the other's arm down, afterwards cheering while leaving Keith to mope.

"That's five-to-zero now, I guess we know who is stronger now." The two had gotten into an argument on strength, soon bringing upon an Arm-wrestling contest with the Journeyman winning every round.

"Dammit, how in Hell are yew stronger than me?" The black haired boy grinned and laid back on the redhead's bed.

"My dad was a general, he taught me how to wield an axe, I developed my muscles way earlier than any other kid and got the drive to get stronger than him." Ross melted into the mattress, the bed was softer than what he slept in back in Magvel. He couldn't believe how he managed to sleep on anything else.

"Ya keep talkin' 'bout yer Pa, what was he like?" Keith was curious on how tough this man was to have raised his son to be such a tough kid.

"He's a great man, super strong too, funny thing, he beat another soldier at arm-wrestling. But he noticed that the man was left handed and demanded a rematch with the left." Ross smiled as he remembered the match. "Dad lost that time, but everyone laughed and agreed they were equals." The journeyman's recounts of his father brought a smile to the redhead. "Keith, this bed is so soft, what is it made out of, Pegasus Feathers?"

Said mechanic laughed and scratched the back of his head. "We ain't got no flyin' horses in this world, 'sides, I think the bed is lumpy." The young man nearly found himself sleeping instantly, sighing in bliss.

"I think I'm going to sleep soon..."

"A'right buddy, sweet dreams then." Keith sighed and laid in the bed beside the young man, he may not have the softest bed in the world, but it was large enough to support three people. More than enough for him and his new, young friend.

* * *

When the sun had rose, the mercenary could smell the faint scent of cooking meat. Before his body could awake and catch up with his mind, the fiery haired man could feel a rough tongue lap against his cheek. As if from natural instinct, Raven lifted an arm and rubbed his palm on the underside of the dog's head. His eyes opening up as well as a faint smile slightly appearing on his face as he stared at Ilia.

"Good ta see ya awake. Sleep well?" The mercenary sat up and stretched his limbs before rising to his feet and finding the wide smile of the dirty blonde. Raven paid more attention to the dog, choosing not to recount his dreams to Ellis.

"Slept like I always do." As always, the fiery haired man left most about himself to be unknown and ambiguous.

"Oh... And how do yew sleep most of the time?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to never find out." The blonde man shrugged it off and returned to breakfast. Though he wasn't the best chef in the world, to Raven, his use of the kitchen utensils and preparation of the food intrigued him. After a moment, the hick soon prepared a plate for the mercenary and led him to the kitchen table. Dropping a meal of bacon, eggs, sausage, and ham along with pouring him a glass of orange juice.

"Hope ya enjoy our world's way of eatin' food." The first of which that Raven tasted was that of the meats, personally, he found the bacon to be delicious, though he didn't show it on his face and remained calm as he devoured the rest of the breakfast.

"Thank you for the meal, it was great." The mercenary voiced his gratitude, Ellis smiled back at him and began to feed the husky mix. Her excited bark soon waking the others and having the table become full of groggy men that all wished they could have slept a bit longer.

"So guys, I was thinking, maybe today we could all take you out and buy you new clothes." The blue haired man suggested, the trio of other worlders staring at him.

"And what is wrong with the clothes we wear now?" Of course the one to complain was that of the older mercenary.

"We don't want to draw attention to you three, seeing as you don't like us even speaking to you now, fitting in will make you less of a target for conversation." Ike had brought valid reasoning to the table. Raven only begrudgingly agreed, though he doubt the garments that people wear here would suit his styles and tastes.

"New clothes sound great, Onichan." Wolt smiled, who in turn got a pat on the back from the blue haired man, though the name referral was leaving the others confused.

"Eh, I'm up for anything." Ross shrugged, finishing his meal and sighing in content.

After it was decided, the others ate their breakfast hastily to be able to see more that this place had to offer. It was the second day and they were already getting to dress like the rest of society.

Ike had called for the others to get in the car, though he was curious about Ross' driving skills, he did not want to get pulled over to have the officers find an underage driver without a license and or any ID. So he was stuck with the task of providing transportation, though it wasn't as if he was the designated driver for a party, so he didn't feel as bad.

"So where is it that you're taking us?" The journeyman asked from the backseat, fidgeting from having to ride in a vehicle he couldn't drive.

"To the one place where many citizens gather and waste 30 percent of their lives at, the Mall." Though he felt that his explanation need more info due to the three he was speaking to, he'd rather just show them than to waste his time explaining detail to detail.

Eventually, the blue haired man parked the truck and exited, the others marveling at the large ocean of cars that were at the base of a large building. Without any words, the three followed Ike and scanned the entire inside, the décor and design being unlike anything they have ever seen.

"Just stick by me and pick out anything you like, I'll pay for it." As they had since being brought to the Mall, Raven, Wolt, and Ross treaded behind the blue haired man and still stared at the shops. Stop after stop, the three each found a few outfits that pleased them in comfort and style.

For the Archer, he settled for buying an pack of plain white t-shirts, though the hoodies caught his eye, Wolt soon found himself attached to a green hoodie and finding a pair of jeans and sneakers to match.

Ross on the other hand found comfort in wearing shorts and a black vest, stating that he could show off more of his muscles without sleeves and long pants. In regards to footwear, he picked out sandals, stating that it was the closest to going barefoot that would be socially accepted.

But the mercenary was the most difficult of the three. Even with the help and encouragement of the others, Raven found himself turning down and upmost hating the clothing selection. About to give up on fitting in, the dragonfire eyed man found a dress shirt that he didn't want to burn. The fabric remained black all around, minus a set of white angel wings on the back that appeared to look like columns. He couldn't understand why he was so drawn to it, but only agreed to buying it. After pulling it over his frame, the man rolled the sleeves to his elbows and was tossed a dark pair of jeans to try as well. In the end, Raven added combat boots to the mix, always wanting to keep them as a precaution for any attacks despite being in a calm world.

After all the purchases were dealt with, the group gathered at the food court and enjoyed a nice pretzel meal.

"Um... Onichan, why are those girls staring at us?" The blue haired man looked in the direction that his little brother figure was pointing at, finding a group of teenagers giggling as he made eye contact with most of them.

"I guess they're admiring us, in this world, people openly flirt and socialize." After being filled in on the concept of flirting, the green haired archer shyly waved towards the girls, after getting a signal returned, the boy began to blush.

"They're nice and friendly..." Before Wolt could get up and approach them, a blood curdling scream echoed throughout the mall. The Mercenary bolting up from his seat and scanning the area. Eventually seeing a large crowd evacuating in a massive stampede. Behind them, a large bulky humanoid that was currently yelling in aggravation and sending debris flying in all directions.

"Shit, everyone, into the camping store!" Ike called out, war instincts kicking in and each rushing into the store. The Blue haired man apologized to the brave employees, still working despite the disaster, and ran to a certain department. The others following suit and taking things off the rack for means of defense against the creature. Wolt emerged from the hunting section with a modern bow and arrows, Ross following with a hatchet and hunting knife picked straight out of display. Raven however could not find a substitute for his sword in a lethal form and settled on using a baseball bat.

"Where's Ike?" The journeyman asked, retracting his answer when they heard the roar of an engine. Turning their heads they found the blue haired man holding a chainsaw with one hand while the other clutched machete. The machete was soon tossed towards the mercenary to properly replace the bat.

"Wolt, get on the second floor and fire down at that thing, Ross and Raven, get it's attention and try to land a few hits, I'll finish it off with this baby." Ike revved the two-stroke engine to reassure the others that they will kill this monster.

The crowd had mostly cleared out, but casualties were everywhere, as well as a few unlucky that did not survive. Just as planned, the journeyman and mercenary ran in first. Ross hurled the hatchet, finding it to get stuck in the shoulder of the creature. Raven however dashed in, slashing at the monster's knee and performing a backflip kick to free the axe weapon and to gain distance.

In amidst the first few blows, the archer dashed up the escalators and immediately took aim with his bow. Finding it difficult when the target would move just as he had the perfect shot. Given the right timing, the green haired boy released the string and watched as his arrow soared from his fingertips to the target. But it was a short lived cheer as he found that the arrow snapped against the creature's skin. His weapon was then rendered useless in this battle.

_'Dammit! I can't just sit back now, I have to do something to help!'_ Wolt cursed himself for never taking on any sword lessons, though his mind stilled as he noticed a corpse against the wall. Just in the clutches of it's hand was the gleam of metal. "It can't be..."

finding newfound vigor and confidence, the boy rushed to the dead body and found the object of his attention since being first introduced to it in this world. A Desert Eagle Pistol. The archer immediately began to pry the fingers off the hand, after freeing the firearm, checking it for ammunition. The poor man only fired one shot before succumbing. _'It's now or never!'_

Currently living in the moment, the archer leaped from the second story and landed on a kiosk, kneeling down on his knees and taking his left arm to steady his aim with the right by having the gun rest on his forearm. From what he could see, the distraction units had sustained a hit and were currently slowed down, meanwhile his older brother figure was still waiting on the opening.

Wolt lined the sights and felt his smile widen as his heartbeat increased, muscles preparing for the kickback that would come after pulling the trigger. He felt his index finger curl a bit, soon he felt the recoil after full pressure was exuded onto the trigger. The bullet shot rang out, despite not dealing deadly damage to the creature, his shot did not go unnoticed like the arrow. In fact, the creature targeted the archer/marksman and was sending growls and frustrating yells his way.

"Wolt!" Ike yelled as he watched the bulky monster make it's way to the green haired boy. Taking the chainsaw in both hands, the man slashed down on it's back, switching up the grip and slicing again on the back of it's knees. Finally taking the entire thing and thrusting it inside of the creature's back, the chain beginning to send blood splattering in all directions. The monster finally meeting it's end.

"Alright guys, we gotta get outta of here, now!"

* * *

**Cue dramatic music. Finally got to the action. Anyways, crappy note... My phone died... And I expected to get a new one today, but turns out I have to wait 'til Tuesday... *deep sigh* To make matters worse, I was playing the final chapter of Fire Emblem and my Jaffar killed Nergal with a Silencer after a dramatic scene on the first hit. So there goes that awesomeness... (Funny thing, had Jaffar not used a Silencer for an instant kill, he would have done 1 damage when Nergal had 74 HP left.) My troubles aside, hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. If anyone even reads this...**


End file.
